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Cedric Larkscall
The Hound of Northgate - Part One From the campaign in Gilneas They moved in a pack. Sneaking quietly through the trees. The heavy rain and thunder masking what little sound their steps made. Slowly, but carefully they crept through the forest. Cedric closed his eyes and sniffed the air. Even with the smell of mud and wet leaves he could detect it… Yes. There it was. That sick, pungent smell of rot and decay… There was a Forsaken camp nearby. He signaled to his pack to halt. With a calm, fluid motion, he lowered himself onto all fours, then slowly began crawling forward. Thunder crashed and lightning lit the sky. He quickly went prone, hiding his large form in as much brush as he could. As the sky faded and darkened again, he began to move. Slowly, carefully creeping. Until at last he saw it. In a small clearing, there was a small camp with a dim fire. And gathered around it, a small band of five Forsaken. The horrible, disfigured monstrosities that Sylvanas drove to their gates. Even years later, these stragglers still remained to keep control of Gilneas for the Horde. But these guests to Gilneas, as far as Cedric was concerned, had far overstayed their welcome. And he would have to show them out. Looking back over his shoulder, Cedric nodded to the rest of his pack. They began to crawl up behind him. They spread out and circled the clearing. They would wait for his signal. This was just another routine hunt. As they had done dozens of times before. Cedric watched as his pack got into position. When the lightning flashed in the sky, he counted their eyes. Everyone was in position. Good. He pulled out his gun off his back and began loading in a small bullet filled with flash powder. He took aim and waited, holding his breath. They needed to do this quietly, or they would risk alerting other camps that may be hidden nearby. He waited paitently, until finally, like clockwork, a flash of lightning lit the sky. He began to count. Throughout the hunt, he had made himself familiar with the timing of the storm and knew how long to expect between the flash and the thunder. One. Two. Three… And with exact precision, just as the sound of thunder boomed across the sky, he pulled his trigger. Firing the small bullet of flash powder directly at the base of the Forsaken’s fire. With a flash, the confused Forsaken leapt up, covering their faces and exclaiming with their hollow, ghostly voices. And as though it were one well timed machine, the entire pack leapt from the trees and surrounded the Forsaken, shredding them apart quickly and efficiently. They didn't even afford them the time to scream. It took barely a few seconds for all five Forsaken that sat around the fire to be torn to bits in a flurry of claws and teeth. By the time the thunder faded, so too did the battle. Cedric stepped out into the clearing. His pack stood before him, awaiting instruction. He nodded to them and they spread out, inspecting the camp. As he walked, he kicked the Forsaken corpses out of his way with malice and disrespect. He felt more sympathy for the mud beneath his feet than he did for even the best one of them. Sitting on a crate in the center of the camp, Cedric noticed a small envelope. He walked towards the crate. The envelope was soaked nearly all the way through from the rain. He picked it up and began to inspect it. Was it orders? Or did one of these monsters actually have a loved one writing to them? He laughed at that idea. As he began to open the letter, he heard a voice coming from the trees behind him. “Captain!” the voice rasped. “Captain, you need to see this!” Cedric spun around and saw Cathus running into the clearing, a younger man affected by the same curse curse as the rest of them. He was small, but athletic. He was much like a son to Cedric, one who was far less of a disappointment to him than his own had been. But Cedric had always known him to be both careful and smart, though now his voice made no attempt to be subtle or quiet. “What is it?” he snarled. “Do you want to alert every Forsaken camp in the whole damned forest?” “Captain, our scouts are reporting more guests in our woods.” Cathus wheezed as he caught his breath. “What, Sylvanas sent more Forsaken? We’ll deal with them the same as we always have. You would risk giving away our position for this?” “No, Captain Larkscall. Not Forsaken... Something else.” Cedric narrowed his eyes. “And just what do you mean, ‘something else?’” The Hound of Northgate - Part Two From the campaign in Gilneas Cedric knelt down and inspected the dirt. He could still see the tracks… Many tracks, even. Coming from all directions. Many seemed human, but others were very distinctly something else. He saw the marks of Tauren’s hooves. Orc’s massive feet. The elongated toes of trolls. It was clear the rest of the Horde was here as well. Since taking the city several years ago, Sylvanas had only ever sent Forsaken. Why was the Horde here now? And for all these human footprints he wondered as well. Had the Alliance finally come? He scoffed. A few bloody years too late. If they didn’t care enough about Gilneas when it fell, why would they care enough to return now? As far as Cedric was concerned, Greymane had done nothing to convince the Alliance to retake Gilneas. He had simply left the remaining citizens to die. But still, why all of this movement now? There had been no one near Tempest’s Reach since the city had fallen. Yet here it was, plain as day. Proof that they had more visitors in Gilneas again than expected. “Captain Larkscall come look at this!” shouted Cathus from the cliff’s edge. Cedric stood up and walked over to where the young man was standing. On the ground sat several hooks and some rope. “Seems someone thought to scale the cliff face.” Cathus mused. Cedric nodded in agreement. The hooks and rope were barely weathered. They had not been there long at all. He paused a moment and sniffed the air. It was faint. Several days old, but still present in his nose. The lighthouse had been burning recently. Cedric looked up at the towering lighthouse. “Now who do you suppose lit that?” He grumbled. “They scaled the cliffs like they wanted to be discreet, then lit a beacon to tell all of Gilneas where they were? Either they were overconfident or just plain incompetent. Both sound like the Alliance military to me.” He looked to Cathus. “Either way, whether or not they wanted a fight, they definitely got it.” He pointed down to the bridge. “There’s signs of a big battle here. Straight across that bridge there.” Cathus narrowed his eyes. “So the Alliance was here?” Cedric shrugged. “Someone was here. But going by all the Horde footprints, they knew why they came. And it clearly wasn’t for us then.” “Do you think they are still here?” Cathus frowned. Cedric placed a hand on his shoulder. “You and I are going to find out. Whoever is here, they pose a threat to our pack. We can’t risk anyone else being injured. We need to track them down until we see them, then report it back to the pack.” Finishing his sentence, Cedric walked down the path and crossed back over the bridge. Cathus nodded in understanding and followed behind. Cedric followed the tracks along the edge of the cliff, bringing Cathus in tow. They both moved carefully and quietly to avoid attracting any attention. As they neared a narrow, but open part of the path, Cedric stopped, putting a hand out to stop Cathus too. He sniffed the air around him. “Do you smell it, boy?” He sniffed more. “There was another battle here. Maybe only a few days ago.” He closed his eyes and continued scanning the air. “Ash. They burned bodies.” Sniff. “Blood. A lot of it was spilled.” Sniff. “And…” He paused. There was a smell he recognized. The sick, foul smell of bilewort. He had grown very accustomed to the smell when his son had been studying it. Bringing it home by the basket full and letting its foul odor fill the house. But as far as he knew, bilewort did not grow in southern Gilneas. Only in the Northgate Woods. So where was it coming from? He motioned for Cathus to spread out. “See if there is anything of use. We need to find the Alliance, or the Horde, or whoever is waiting for us here as soon as possible. Look for anything that tells us where they might be camping.” Cathus acknowledged and began searching. Cedric followed his nose to the edge of the cliff. The smell grew stronger. He walked right to the edge and sniffed the air deeply. Almost overwhelming the smell of the sea air was that unmistakable foul smell. He looked around. Why did he suddenly smell it so strongly? And here? Then he looked down. About thirty feet down, there lay a man. At first, Cedric could not tell if he was dead or alive. Beside him lay a satchel, torn and stained. Spilling out of it was a series of vials, herbs, and the unmistakable brown, oozy, sap of the bilewort pods. Cedric looked the man up and down. He wore a plain grey uniform with a white and blue tabard. His hair long and unkempt with a wild, unruly beard. Cedric inspected his face. It was familiar. His features seemed not unlike his own. The man stirred. He groaned and opened his eyes. Cedric’s body tensed. The man turned his head and for a moment he locked eyes with Cedric. Staring into the other man’s eyes, his stomach dropped. Realization flushed over Cedric. The eyes that looked at him were his own. And in that brief moment, in utter disbelief, Cedric recognized his son. The two Larkscall men were for a moment reluctantly reunited. Cedric was uncertain how to feel, and none of it felt real or even possible. How was his worhtless son here? How was he still alive? Although with all the thoughts racing in his mind it had felt like an eternity, the moment ended as quickly as it had began. The younger Larkscall shut his eyes and slipped out of consciousness once more. Cedric stood in disbelief. He was white in the face as if he had seen a ghost. His mind raced from surprise to anger and disgust and back to sheer astonishment. He wasn’t able to comprehend what had just happened. “Captain. I found something!” Cathus called from behind him. Cedric shook himself free from the trance and turned around. “There’s more tracks. They lead off towards Stormglen.” Cathus pointed behind him. “They start up again just over that hill.” Cedric nodded. “Good work, boy. We should head off then. They’ve likely set up camp in the village, but we don’t know how many days ahead of us they are.” “Did you find anything?” Cathus inquired. Cedric paused for a moment then shook his head. “No. Nothing important. Let’s go. The sooner we get their location and can report back to the rest of the pack the better.” Cathus nodded and led him back to where he had picked up the trail. The Hound of Northgate - Part Three From the campaign in Gilneas The camp bustled around him. The survivors were all going about what had become everyday life for them. Cedric sat himself on a log at the edge of camp and stared out at them. All these lives he felt responsible for, going about their days in the camp with such resilience and strength. It was time to move the camp again, as they did every few nights. It was the only way to avoid being tracked and ambushed by Forsaken. Men, women, and children all worked together to take down the camp and cover up any trace that they were there. Cedric reached into his pocket and took out the envelope he had taken from the Forsaken camp weeks before. He had already looked at it countless times, but still he could never keep his eyes off of it for long. Inside the envelope was a crude drawing, clearly done by a child. Two figures standing side by side, one taller than the other. And all that was written on the paper was a single word in common: “daddy”. He didn’t know if this had belonged to the Forsaken or if the Forsaken had found it and picked it up. Frankly, none of that mattered to him. But he had a hard time getting that child’s drawing out of his head ever since her first laid eyes upon it. He had been a father once. And he was never grateful for it a day in his life. Instead he chose to be bitter, resentful, distant. He had never forgiven his own son for the death of his loving wife. Cedric shook his head. He wasn’t going to second guess himself now, after all these years. He would only ever allow himself to move forward. Still… That dying man he had come across several weeks before. Was that but a ghost? A spectre of his own guilt appearing before his eyes? Or was it just a foul hallucination to remind him that no matter what, he cannot escape his own past? Cedric frowned and tucked the drawing away again. He looked across the camp, everyone scurrying to pack. Had he stepped up to lead these people years ago out of kindness? Or was he seeking some form of retribution for the bitterness and spite with which he had raised his own flesh and blood? He shook his head again and sighed. Forward. Only forward. He looked down at the ground. Footsteps approached him. Even as well trained and nearly silent as they were, he recognized the pattern. “What have you found out?” Cedric growled without looking up. “They’re leaving, captain.” Cathus said flatly. “They have gathered up camp and are marching out as we speak. I don’t think they intend to fully liberate Gilneas after all.” Cedric laughed. “No. No they do not. But they did what they could, I suppose.” He grunted slightly as he stood up. He had not rested in several days and his muscles were sore from it. He looked at the camp. He paused for a moment in silence before he decided to say the words: “You should go with them.” Cathus raised an eyebrow. “Captain?” Cedric nodded at the survivors packing the camp. “Many of us are too weak to live like this forever. They need a safer home. At the very least somewhere out of these woods.” He turned to Cathus and put a hand on his shoulder. “Take them to safety. And keep them all safe until they get there.” Cathus tried to interrupt, but Cedric stopped him. “I don’t know where these people are going.” Cedric grunted. “But it’s surely better than here. That march out of Gilneas may be the safest passage back out of this prison these people will live to see. Take the wounded, the children, and anyone who would come along to defend them. Find out what this order is about. I’m leaving them in your hands.” “So you don’t mean to come as well?” Cathus inquired. Cedric shook his head. “Gilneas is not yet free. I won’t leave it just yet. And there will surely be those among us who refuse to go as well because that’s just their nature.” Cedric exhaled. “No, my place is here. Me and anyone who will stay with me.” “And what if I refuse to go?” Cedric shot Cathus a dirty look and snapped, suddenly growling in a gruff voice. “Don’t be a damn fool, boy. I didn’t ask you. I’m telling you to take them and get them out of here. Don’t make me repeat myself.” After a few tense seconds, Cedric sighed and relaxed. “You have been like a son to me, boy. I wouldn’t trust the safety of our people with anyone else more than you. This may be our last chance to leave Gilneas safely. Lead these people out of here.” Cathus nodded. “As you say, captain.” Cedric sighed again and clapped Cathus on the shoulder before turning away. Cedric stepped forward to the center of the camp. “Everyone listen to me.” He projected. “What I’m about to say is not to be taken lightly. I don’t want any heroics or second guessing. And I will only offer this once. He scanned the members of the group with a harsh seriousness. “There is a march back out of Gilneas taking place at this very moment. I’m all but ordering some of you to march as well. Gilneas is not safe, we all know that. Gilneas very well may never be safe again, we know that as well. The Alliance won’t come for us. This could very well be the last safe escort out of here. I suggest many of you take it. If you are sick, wounded, or raising children, then I’m not giving you the choice. You will leave immediately rather than stay here to risk your lives. Cedric nodded over his shoulder at Cathus. “Cathus will lead you to safety. From now on, you will listen to him as you would have listened to me.” He took a deep breath. “Those of you intending to stay, I warn you I intend only to keep a small hunting pack. I only want the strongest and most capable of you. Everyone else, I urge you now to put your family above all else. Protect everyone who is leaving. I don’t care where you go when you get outside Gilneas, but it is surely a better life for you than here. If you choose to join the orders that brought their campaign to our doorstep, then that is your choice. I expect everyone to make a decision on whether they are staying or leaving by the time the sun sets. You will leave tonight and use the cover of darkness to catch up to the order. His face grew solemn and his tone shifted from confident and commanding to soft and sorrowful. “I promise you all that when Gilneas is liberated and we can safely return to our homes, I will track down and send for every single one of you to let you know. Gilneas will always be our home and this is not you abandoning her. “But right now, we need to do what we have been doing for years. Survive. And those gates to freedom will only remain open for so long.” Cedric closed his eyes. “I suggest you all leave while you still can. Do what is right for yourselves. Do what you must to survive.” The group murmured as Cedric lessened his posture and turned around to leave. He put a hand on Cathus’s shoulder once more. “Do not let any harm come to them, boy. You are responsible for them now.” Without another word, Cedric walked off into the trees. Silently, several of the hunting pack turned and followed him. And as if communicated in silence, the rest made up their minds and stood in place. They all looked to Cathus expectantly. Feeling the eyes on him, he finally spoke up. “Right then.” He said. “Finish packing what you can. The sun is setting and we leave within the hour. We have a lot of ground to cover if we are to catch up.”